


Sugar and Spice

by MoonbeamDancer



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-11-21 13:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonbeamDancer/pseuds/MoonbeamDancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>CoffeehouseAU! Gabriel is the barista at a local college coffeehouse, Dean is a new customer. Really, that's all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Heaven Scent

The moment that Dean had walked into Heavenly Coffee and Bakery, the scent of chocolate, coffee and vanilla hit him right in the face. Well, actually, it was more like a slap to his face followed quickly by his nose being hooked by the scent of fresh baked pie. The barista at the counter had nothing to do with it, nothing at all. Yeah, sure he was smart and funny and always seemed to know when Dean needed a refill, but Gabriel had nothing to do with it at all. 

Dean was just there for the coffee. Okay, and the pie, they make an _amazing_ apple cider pie. But that was it.

Not there for Gabriel at all.

The first time they met had been a few months ago, Dean has been trying to write a paper for one of his classes, and was in need of a break, so he left his apartment and walked down to the coffee shop. If truth be told, he not only hated to study, but wasn't too fond of college as well. The only reason he was there at all, was because of his father. His father had threatened to cut him off financially at the age of eighteen, if Dean didn't go to college and _try_ to make a better man of himself. It's not like Dean couldn't do it, he had the grades for college and was very well read, spoken and educated, his family had seen to that. He just didn't want to, he couldn't see the point of going to college.

After much debate and -all right- several screaming matches with both of his parents, Dean had decided where he had wanted to go. He was an English major with an emphasis in Creative Writing, Dean had always been good at telling stories. 

The bell chimed overhead as he walked in and Dean took in the look and feel of the cafe. There were a handful of tables scattered about and against the walls were some booths. The lighting was nice, you could see what was going on in the place, but there were still some shadows in the corners. It had that lived in college hang out feel to it, the type that was open twenty four hours a day, and always someone studying in it and falling asleep at their table over their book. Yep, that kind. Dean could smell the coffee half a block away and his nose had led him to the right place.

At the moment there were only a handful of customers in there, all for them students, judging from the amount of books and paper. A stressed out looking red head sat at one of the tables, her hands flying over her laptop. A white mug sat at her side, she paused to take a sip, draining the mug, and then resumed typing. Dean vaguely remembered her name as Anna. The long table looked to have been staked out and claimed in the name of one guy. Or at least Dean thought so, he couldn't really tell, because there were so many books and papers spread out on it, but there was only one guy sitting at the table. Or rather lying on it, Dean heard a faint snore come from him.

Dean made his way up to the wooden bar area as the barista wiped down the counter and then looked up.  
"What'cha need, college boy?" he asked. He was dressed in a black long sleeved turtle neck with thin white horizontal stripes, black pants and a black beanie. He looked to be wearing a necklace too, but Dean couldn't get a really good look at it, his apron (black as well) was blocking the view.  
"Oh. Um, I'm not sure." Dean said, glancing around for a menu.  
"Menu, right up there." the barista replied, not bothering to hide a small chuckle, and pointing over his shoulder up to the chalk board menu on the wall.  
"Oh, ah, great. Thank you." Dean responded, eyes following the direction to where he pointed.  
"Anytime." came the short reply. "Let me know when you're ready." the barista said, flicking the bar towel over his shoulder and grabbing a chocolate covered spoon from the container by the register, before moving down the counter. The spoon was unwrapped and popped into his mouth before he grabbed a pot off a burner and swung out from behind the counter, walking over to Anna.

"Switching you to tea, hon, you don't need any more caffeine." He said, pouring the amber liquid into her mug. "How goes the paper?" He scraped the chocolate off with his teeth.  
"Thanks. It's good, making sure I have all my notes correct for my thesis is starting to drive me mad. Fucking research." Anna drank for the mug. "This is good, mint right?"  
"Right. Try it with this." The barista fished a honey stick out of his apron pocket and handed it to her before moving over to the long table, smacking the man on the calf. "Ash, wake up! You're not at the library or at the dorms!" He yelled over his shoulder as he passed by, walking back up to the order counter.  
Ash snorted himself awake and sleepily sat up, getting off the table.

"Made up your mind yet?" The giver of liquid gold asked, putting the pot back and walking back to where Dean was.  
"Yeah. Slice of peach pie and a coffee. Black, please."  
"Man of simple tastes, I like that."  
The order was rung up and Dean paid for it before going to sit at one of the booths, his back to the door. A few minutes later, a slice of pie and a steaming cup of coffee were slid onto the table in front of him.  
"Enjoy." Gabriel smiled and walked away.  
Dean ate and watched as Gabriel moved around the floor and behind the counter.


	2. Rainy Afternoons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rainy afternoon at the coffee shop.

The next time Gabriel sees Dean at the coffee shop is a week and a half after his first visit. Dean staggers in, hair all wild, looking like he's ready to kill someone. Gabriel looks up from where he was at the counter, pouring coffee beans into a glass container.  
"Wow, what's up with you college boy?"  
It was the middle of the afternoon and the shop was quiet for now. Thunder rolled overhead, a storm had been threatening to start all day now, it looked like it might make an appearance. The door shut with a jangle as Dean made his way to the counter.  
"I'm ready to slap my professor. If I have to hear the phrase "difference of imagination" one more time, I'm gonna scream."  
"'Difference of imagination'." Gabriel smirked.  
"Shut up, you're not funny." Dean groaned, leaning against the counter, head resting on it.  
"You're right, I'm hysterical." Gabriel countered, flipping the lid shut on the glass container.  
Dean sighed. "Everyone's a comedian."

"I try." Gabriel grinned, as he looked out the shop's window. The sky had gotten darker and the wind was picking up. Gabriel watched as the wind gusted against the glass and a few drops splattered against it.  
"So what's wrong?" he asked again.  
"My writing professor is insane." came the muffled reply.  
"Oh. Is that all? Shit hon, I could have told you that about most teachers to begin with."  
Dean just snorted before raising his head and looking at Gabriel. "So sayth the giver of life..."  
"You know it. What do you want?" Gabriel asked. Outside a few more drops fell before the clouds just opened up and proceeded to dump _gallons_ of water onto the ground and anyone foolish or sad enough to be caught outside.  
"Coffee. Black." Dean slapped down the money to pay before going to his booth.

Dean watched the rain fall for a few minutes after getting his coffee, sipping it before calling over to Gabriel. "So, when you're not infusing students with caffeine, what are you doing?"  
"Well at the moment, I'm cleaning the filter holder." Gabriel replied, as he scrubbed out the plastic holder with a small brush and soap. "Oh! You mean when I'm not here at work." He rinsed out the filter, dried it and replaced the paper filter, before putting the container back.  
"Yeah, that's what I meant." Dean said, drinking from his cup.

Gabriel smirked and wiped down the counter. "Well, when I'm not slaving away behind the counter, I'm a stripper."  
Dean choked on his coffee, coughing and sputtering. "What?"  
"Yeah, like three nights a week down at The Golden Rose, the ladies _love_ me. I swear, I get more one dollar bills put in my g-string on Thursday nights then any other." Gabriel kept cleaning the counter, not looking at Dean.  
"Are you serious?" Dean asked. It wasn't that he had a problem with it, he just couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
"Hell yeah, the ladies adore me up on that stage. And for the right price one of them comes home with me."

Dean damn near knocked over his cup. Holy. Crap. Dean just stared at Gabriel as he puttered around behind the counter, cleaning and putting up a few glasses before pouring himself a cup.  
Gabriel set the cup down on the counter and proceeded to fix a tray. He swiped a few flavored creamers from the cooler and a couple slices of pie.  
"Again, are you serious?" Dean asked as Gabriel came over and sat down across from him.  
"Well there is this whole part where I sell coke on the side..." Gabriel admitted.  
"Stripping, prostitution, _and_ drugs. Man, what if I was a cop?" Dean ticked off all three items on his fingers.  
"Please, I know you aren't." Gabriel snorted as he mixed cream and sugar into his coffee before taking a sip. More sugar.  
"How do you know?"  
"Because you aren't eating any doughnuts with that coffee." Gabriel replied, gesturing with his spoon, before taking another sip. Perfect.  
"Very funny. You want any coffee with that cream and sugar of yours?" Dean asked.  
"It pains me to see you take yours naked. Poor coffee." Gabriel said, before passing Dean a slice of pie and a fork. "On the house."

Dean cut of a bit and ate, moaning at the taste of apples and cinnamon on his tongue. "Oh my god. This is amazing."  
"Thank you." Gabriel began to eat his slice.  
"So what do you really do when you're not here?' Dean asked.  
Gabriel swallowed his bite."Sorry, not until the third date." he answered with a smile and suggestive eyebrow wiggle.  
"I look forward to it then." Dean smiled.  
"What about you college boy? What do you do?" Gabriel drank from his cup.  
"Oh no, if you get to keep secrets, so can I." Dean objected, finishing off his slice of pie.

"Well alright then, but at least tell me your name, I can't keep calling you college boy." Gabriel licked the last of the filling off his fork.  
"It's Dean. Dean Winchester." Dean said, glancing at Gabriel's mouth.  
"Welcome to Heaven on Earth, Dean." Gabriel grinned. "I'm Gabriel by the way."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gabriel." Dean finished off his coffee.  
"You too Dean. Another cup?"  
Dean nodded. "Thank you."  
Dean happily took the offered cup when Gabriel came back, the two of them falling into companionable silence and watching the rain fall.


	3. In Which The Third Time Is Not The Charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Gabriel assumes a few things and there is moping through pretty leaves.

Their third meeting isn't at the coffee shop. It's at the college library, the 7th floor actually. Gabriel was looking for some books on cannibalistic mermaids and their feeding habits, of all things, when he ran into Dean. He had just pulled the book he needed down from the shelf, and there Dean was on the other side.  
"We need to stop meeting like this." Dean smirked and whispered across the row of books.  
Gabriel looked through the empty section of books at him. "You following me, Dean?"  
"I should be asking you that question." Dean replied. "And no, I'm not. I'm just waiting for-"  
"There you are." A black haired man called coming down the aisle towards Dean. In his hand was his backpack and his coat was slung over his arm. "I'm off work, you promised dinner, remember?" He said, setting the bag on the ground and slipping his trench coat on.  
Dean grinned. "I know. But first meet Gabriel, he's the barista I told you about."

The black haired man turned to Gabriel and smiled, his eyes like lasers. "Hello."  
"Gabriel, this is Castiel. And he's right, I did promise him dinner, so we should be going. See you later, okay?"  
Cas picked up his bag and the two began to walk away, discussing dinner options.

Gabriel wordlessly slapped his book back on the shelf and followed them, clearing the stacks in time to see them enter where the elevators were. He watched as they waited for the next car, standing close together, still talking softly to each other. They were so close together that Gabriel was beginning to think that they were together. His thoughts were confirmed when Castiel reached out with one hand and squeezed Dean's.  
Dean laughed as the elevator doors opened. "Come on Mr. Touchy Feely." he said, pulling Castiel into the car. "Let's try that new Thai place."  
Castiel bumped into Dean as they got in and they laughed as the doors closed.  
Gabriel took the stairs down, the book totally forgotten about.

By the time he got all the way downstairs and to the main lobby, Dean and Castiel were already gone. Gabriel sighed to himself and made to leave by way of a side door, when he remembered the book. Muttering a few curse words under his breath, Gabriel went back up to get it. Book in hand, and only ten minutes after he had planned on leaving, Gabriel left the library, zipping up his jacket as he went.And if he went and took the stairs to get it, so Dean and Castiel would be sure to be gone by the time he got back down, who was to know?

No one, that's who.

It was getting towards evening as he walked home from the college, so Gabriel decided to walk through the park to save himself some time. Fall was very much in control as he walked through the park, the leaves were turning on the trees and several had already begun to lose their brightly colored foliage. Gabriel didn't really see the leaves as he walked, the oranges and reds failed to make a dent in the misery he was already in. The burgundy ones did a little bit, but not by much. Mainly he just liked the crunching sound they made as he walked and kicked his way through several piles of them on the ground. They reminded them of fire in a way and the crushed bits of leaves were the embers. What the hell was _wrong_ with him? He didn't really need this _now_ did he? Gabriel wrapped his arms around himself as he walked, book digging slightly into his ribs, fingers clutching it tightly.

"And once again, Gabriel Viridian, you want what you can't have. At least this time you know he's already got a boyfriend..." Gabriel's soft laughter had a bitter edge to it, his last relationship hadn't ended well at all. Oh well, he had been younger after all. Younger and stupider, and Balthazar had been counting on that. Jerk. Gabriel sighed and forced himself to let go of the old hurt that rose up. It had been three years, let Balthazar stay in the past where he belonged.  
"Gonna wash that man right out of my hair." he half sang. And the sad part was, that's exactly what he had done, took a long hot shower after the last nasty fight they had, and swore off men.

It had worked, until now.

Gabriel exited the park and walked down the street towards his house. It was an old two story Victorian that his aunt had left him after she had died, along with a nice sum of money. The plot of land that surrounded the blue-gray house was enough for a house and a half, even though the house was a little small for a Victorian. Gabriel didn't care, he loved the house anyway, just as much as he had loved his aunt and the summers he would spend in the city with her. Gabriel's hand passed over the wrought fence as he walked and opened the gate to let himself in. The gate squeaked and Gabriel made a note to spray it with some WD-40 soon after he locked it, maybe this weekend when he was repainting the trim on the porch.

Upon getting inside, Gabriel hung his jacket on the coat rack on the wall in the foyer, set the book on the side table, and walked into the living room. Flopping down on the sofa, he asked the room at large "Why am I attracted to men I can't have? Seriously, why?" There was, of course, no answer. Gabriel tapped his foot on the hardwood floor before kicking off his shoes and stretching out on the sofa, one arm dangling off it. After a minute or two, there was a persistent nudging at his hand followed by a light nip. Gabriel moved so he could see and picked up his cat.  
"Hi Kali." he said, kissing the fluffy calico on her head and lying back down. Her fur was mostly a mix of black and orange, but she had white on her paws, along her belly and on her muzzle and chest as well. Her eyes were a yellowish green and she was the one good thing to come out of his relationship with Balthazar.  
At the end, the only thing.

Kali nuzzled and pushed her head against his chin and settled down on his chest, purring softly.  
"I saw him again today, the library this time." Gabriel told her. Kali was one of the few that he trusted, and the only one who he knew wouldn't talk."He was waiting for his boyfriend to get off work, Castiel works in the library, I guess." He scratched Kali behind the ears and sighed. "He's a nice guy, I like him. But he's already taken obviously, I should back off. But he did sort of flirt back at work the other day." Gabriel fell silent and let his thoughts drift. "What do you think Kali?" He asked, picking the cat up to look her in the eye. Kali mewed and chuffed to be let down. She jumped off Gabriel's chest and wandered towards the kitchen, meowing once in the doorway.  
"You're right, food first." Gabriel replied, getting up to see what could be found.


	4. As You Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for it being so long between updates, got distracted by other stories plus a lack of inspiration. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter, I hope to get back to this soon.

The days rolled on and Gabriel saw Dean several times, usually with Castiel in tow. The first time Dean brought him into the coffee shop, Gabriel knocked over the container of beans he had been filling, beans and glass falling to the ground. The only ones to see this happen, besides Dean and Castiel, were Michael and Anna.  
"Very nice Gabriel. We give that a six for delivery and an eight for space it reached." Michael snickered and clapped.  
"I'd give it a solid seven and a half." Anna agreed.  
"Shut up. I hate you both." Gabriel grumbled as he came around the counter with the broom, dust pan and a trash can. "You two have a seat, be right with you." he called to Dean and Castiel.  
"Well, you're gonna love us again." Anna said as Gabriel swept.

"Oh yeah? Why?" Gabriel asked while he dumped a dust pan full of glass and coffee beans into the trash.  
"Because Ruby and I are throwing a Halloween party and you're invited." she replied.  
"And why would I come to a party thrown by you and blondie?" Gabriel emptied the pan again, the glass tinkling down into the bag, he'd have to make sure to double bag this before he threw it away.  
"Well there is another reason to invite you other then your sheer awesomeness." Anna admitted.  
"I'm not going as someone's date." Gabriel told her.  
"That wasn't it. We want you and Michael to tend bar for us, and yes, we can pay you."  
"How much?" Gabriel asked and the two talked price for a few minutes before Gabriel nodded and said he'd be there.

"What about your friends, think they would want to come too?" Anna asked softly, glancing towards the table where Dean and Castiel sat, talking to each other. She was beginning to suspect that Gabriel liked Dean and decided to put a few feelers out.  
"They might, feel free to ask if you want, it's your party after all." Gabriel told her, pointedly not looking in the direction of the two other men. Why did Dean have to bring Castiel _here_ of all places? Gabriel forced himself to finish sweeping, Anna didn't miss the tension in his shoulders as he worked.  
She got up and walked over to the other table.

"Hey Dean, you doing anything for Halloween?" she asked.  
"Why?" Dean asked.  
"My room mate Ruby and I are throwing a party on Halloween night, around 8 o'clock." Anna replied. "You two are more then welcome, if you want."  
"I'm always up for a good party, but I have no idea where you live." Dean reminded her.   
"I can fix that." Anna sat down in an empty chair and grabbed a napkin, writing down directions for him. "Costumes aren't mandatory but they're fun." she said at the end with a grin. "See you two there." Anna stood and she and Michael turned to leave, the door jangling shut behind them.  
Dean and Castiel watched as they walked down the street.  
"You're already planning your costume, aren't you?" Castiel asked.  
Dean nodded, several plans running through his head.

A little known fact about Gabriel: He _loved_ Halloween. He loved getting dressed up, the candy, the parties, seeing other people's costumes, the candy, the bad monster movies on tv, the candy, and did he mention the candy? After Anna extended her invite, he talked to his friend Crowley and they began to tweak his costume to the benefit of tending a bar. Crowley was a Drama major at the college and had learned and excelled at working with latex. 

This year, Gabriel was going as a demon and the two of them had outdone themselves on his costume. He wore black leather pants with an attached pointed red latex tail on the back. The tail had a wire frame and had been fashioned so that it curled up and swung slightly when Gabriel walked. His wings were made in the same fashion and were red with a yellowish membrane, Gabriel had fun painting those, even if the veins were a bitch and a half to do. Gabriel pulled on his boots and sat down while Crowley attached the wings to his back. While they weren't too big, every time Gabriel moved his shoulders, he could feel the wings move with him, it was an odd feeling, but one he got used to quickly.

They had met a couple years before in a make up application class. Crowley was there because it was a part of his major's required classes and Gabriel because it looked like fun. They were sitting next to each other that first day and while learning which foundation looked best on them, had struck up a conversation. Friends will let you suggest a lipstick color, good friends will let you raid their make up case. 

Gabriel carefully applied his make up and since he was going as a demon, used a mix of red and black around his eyes with gold as his eyeliner. His mask was red latex dusted with black highlights and the mask curled into points down his cheeks and up onto his forehead. The last bit were the horns and for this he did need Crowley's help, plus Crowley was just better at making it look like the horns really were a part of Gabriel's head. Crowley set to work and twenty minutes later, Gabriel was a demon fresh from Hell complete with a rockin' set of blackish red horns weaving up from his skull.

Dean looked at himself in the mirror, turning this way and that looking at his costume. After accepting Anna's invitation, he had decided to go as a pirate. And not just any pirate, but as Westley when he was disguised as The Dread Pirate Roberts from _The Princess Bride_. Dean would take it to his grave, but he liked the movie, mainly the sword fight between Inigo Montoya and Westley, but the rest of the film was enjoyable as well. Dean adjusted his sword on his hip and reached for the black face paint and a make up sponge to black out his eyes. Dean then tied on his black leather mask and bandanna before pulling on his gloves and boots.

The party was in full swing by the time that Dean showed up, pulling his Impala into the nearest empty spot he could find and walking toward the party. Inside the house, the music was louder and flowing steadily, as were the drinks. Dean waited for his eyes to adjust before pressing further into the crush of the crowd. Just how many people had Anna invited, it looked like she had the entire population of at least one dorm hall crammed in here. He made his way over to the area that housed the bar set up and did his best to get one of the bartender's attention. The zombie nodded to him and came over after serving a girl dressed as Po Peep.  
"What can I get you? I'm afraid we're out of ale at the moment." he asked.  
"Bourbon and coke if you've got it." Dean said and soon had his drink in hand, moving aside for a couple of girls dressed as Snow White and Cinderella and the two sailors with them. Dean was sure they were with Bo Peep and moved further into the house.

After awhile Dean got bored of looking around the house and running into and talking to random people he knew, so he headed back to the bar and decided to people watch. He sat at the end of the bar and ordered a shot of bourbon when the zombie bartender came over. Dean thanked hm and resumed watching the other people in the room and drinking his bourbon.  
"Hey, I'm gonna go get some more soda, we're running low." Dean heard the zombie tell the demon.  
The demon bartender nodded, mixing the drink in front of him. "Make sure you get some Sprite, we're now out. " he tossed the bottle away.  
"Right." the zombie stopped by Dean on his way out. "You doing okay man?"  
"Peachy." Dean replied, finishing off the shot in front of him as the zombie left.

Gabriel finished off the drink in front of him with a cherry swirl and handed it off to the person waiting for it.  
"Hey demon barkeep!" he heard called from the end of the bar. The guy had been sitting there a good chunk of the night, people watching and commenting on people's costumes. Gabriel wiped down the bar and looked over at the guy, getting a really good look at him.  
"Bourbon me." the guy said.  
Gabriel smothered a laugh as he realized who the guy was supposed to be. "'Why are you wearing a mask? Were you burned by acid or something like that?" he asked coming over to Dean.  
Dean stared at the demon for a dew seconds before he smiled. "'Oh no, it's just that they're terribly comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.'" he replied.  
Gabriel laughed and poured Dean another shot. "Here, Captain Roberts, you earned this." he pushed the shot glass towards Dean who happily drank it as Gabriel went back to filling other people's drinks.

The night passed on, Dean and Gabriel chatting and quoting _The Princess Bride_ at each other when ever they got the chance.  
"How many shots have you had?" Gabriel asked at one point.  
"Um...six, I think. "Dean had to think about it, six shots sounded about right. And if he had to think about it, that was his sign that he had had enough.  
"'Inconceivable!'" Gabriel laughed.  
Dean dissolved into giggles. "'That word. I do not think it means what you think it means.'"  
As the night began to wind down Gabriel could feel the pirate's eyes on him. He had noticed that Captain Roberts had been watching him on and off all evening, but it was happening more and more as people began to grow tired and go home.  
"Help you with something Captain?" he asked, tying up the last bag of trash.  
The pirate smiled at him. "Just wondering if you'd like to get out of here is all." he replied lazily.  
Gabriel smiled back. "Sure."

Dean swayed slightly on his feet as he stood up from the bar, not all of the bourbon had worked its way out of his system. Gabriel handed the last bag of trash to Michael and came out from behind the bar area.  
"Ready?" he asked.  
"Very." the pirate replied, taking Gabriel's hand and walking through the remains of the crowd and up the stairs. Gabriel sighed and let himself be pulled along, watching the play of muscle across the Captain's body as he walked up the stairs in front. While Captain Roberts wasn't Dean, he would be a nice distraction for however long they were together tonight.


End file.
